At last, it’s back! The real football has returned! From now until late May of next year, it’s non-stop, full-on, unadulterated football and we at Icons.com could not be more excited.

After all, this season has the potential to be bigger, better and more exciting than ever. And not just in England. Let’s not forget the thrills that await around the continent; in Spain, Germany, Italy and France, where the best footballers on the planet do battle in front of the biggest crowds for the right to claim the world’s most coveted prizes.

In fact, with so much going on around the world on the opening weekend of the season, you could be forgiven for not knowing where to start or what to look out for. Well, it’s lucky we’re here then, isn’t it? Here are six things you need to keep an eye on this season.

1. Bem-vindo Neymar Jr

So, it actually happened. With Neymar Jr’s switch from FC Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for €222million, world football’s transfer record has been broken by a factor of two. Our office stopped in its tracks to watch – perhaps a little out of disbelief – as the mercurial Brazilian forward was presented in front of the world’s media last week. With a glitzy unveiling in front of a sell-out crowd days later, the Parc de Princes has had more than a little Hollywood about it over the past month.

This season the 25-year-old will surely set his sights not only on a sweep of the domestic titles on offer at his new club but also a shot at one or both of the two individual honours that would certify his superstar status: the Ballon D’or and FIFA’s The Best Award. Will the football gods also write a mouthwatering script that reunites him with Barça in the UEFA Champions League? It may be time to start warming those balls…

2. The main event

Speaking of the UEFA Champions League, this season’s race for club football’s most sought-after prize promises to be as thrilling as ever. Real Madrid made history at the end of last season as they became the first team to successfully defend their title but Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo aren’t quite content with just two-in-a-row. The Spanish champions have won the famous tournament in three of the last four years and they’ve developed a taste for success.

Meanwhile, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are back, adding three previous winners and two of the competition’s most storied teams to the mix. Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho have a great knack of inspiring magic on European nights but can the trophy really return to the North West as early as this season?

Not if the rest of Europe has something to say about it. A certain aforementioned Brazilian seems dead-set on making his mark at PSG but to get to Kiev they may have to return to the scene of last season’s most remarkable tie: Camp Nou. All this while Carlo Ancelotti plots Bayern Munich’s return to the European throne and Gianluigi Buffon prays for one last shot at the trophy that has always eluded him.

3. A six-horse race

The Premier League is getting stronger in competitive terms, there’s no doubt about that. Almost all of the world’s best managers are taking charge of talented, hungry and exciting teams in England’s topflight and that means the title could go almost anywhere.

In Manchester, Pep Guardiola is building an attack-minded team at City with the signing of Monaco’s Bernardo Silva to add to Sergio Aguero’s goals, while United have a new hitman in the form of Romelu Lukaku. Liverpool are still a side of pure pace up front and should be an entertaining watch considering their attacking prowess.

Meanwhile, in London, Antonio Conte has one of the world’s most exciting attacking midfielders in Eden Hazard and Mauricio Pochettino will just be happy that both Harry Kane and Dele Alli (see below) have gone the summer without their heads being turned. Arch-rivals Arsenal have satisfied the wishes of their fans with the purchase of Alexandre Lacazette and the retention of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil (at the time of writing, anyway). So, who exactly is supposed to be the frontrunner here?

4. Dele’s big year

The breakout season is history, the sophomore slump was nowhere to be seen. Now the most exciting young talent at both Tottenham Hotspur and England can stretch his legs and really show us what he’s got. Gunning for a hat-trick of PFA Young Player of the Year awards – and perhaps the main gong too – Dele Alli faces a season of much promise.

Playing in front of potentially 90,000 fans at Spurs’ temporary home of Wembley Stadium won’t faze the England regular, nor will the prospect of a second season in the UEFA Champions League group stages. In fact, knowing the boy-wonder personally from our signing sessions, we’re not sure exactly what could faze him, if anything. Here is a confident 21-year-old who has the world at his feet. Which reminds us, isn’t there some sort of big international tournament coming soon?

5. All the world’s a stage

Ah, yes, the FIFA World Cup. Next summer sees the return of the biggest football tournament on the planet and with potentially one last chance at winning that most coveted trophy, the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will be desperate to deliver glory to their respective countries. Neymar Jr, Philippe Coutinho, Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann and Dele Alli will be among the young but established stars hoping to capture the world’s attention and with the talent on offer it promises to be a tournament full of drama.

Whisper it but England look to be stronger than in recent years with Wayne Rooney surely determined to bow out of international football on a high alongside a stellar mix of young and experienced players mostly plying their trade in the Premier League.

6. La Liga’s on a knife-edge

Madridistas could be forgiven for still being a little hungover when their domestic season starts with a Supercopa Clasico on Sunday evening. Last season, Real won their first league title since 2012 and became the first team in history to retain the UEFA Champions League. Their supremacy is currently unquestioned but this season their hated rivals will want revenge.

Lionel Messi’s ultra dramatic, last-gasp winner in the sides’ pulsating encounter at the Bernabeu merely fanned the flames that could well spark all-out war this term. Barça haven’t experienced for years the upheaval they’ve suffered over the past few months with Neymar Jr gone and now a new man at the helm. Who knows how Ernesto Valverde plans to stop the Zidane juggernaut?

So, here we are again. When Leicester City travel to Arsenal on Friday night to open the 2017-18 Premier League season, it’ll be the first of 380 league matches that stretch over ten months and determine the fates of twenty topflight clubs. Win roughly 25 of your 38 matches and you’ll be in with a shout of the title; avoid losing more than 20 times and you should, in theory, stay up. It’s as simple as that, right?

Well, not quite. This is, after all, one of the most unforgiving leagues in all of world football. It’s a division in which the title defence of the two previous champions ended in finishes of 10th and 12th respectively. Where a team with five UEFA Champions League winners amongst its ranks could only muster a measly 13th place in 2016-17. And where a side who finished some 32 points shy of last season’s champions have spent nearly £100million on new recruits over the summer.

This is indeed a brutal league. But that’s exactly why it attracts the biggest audiences, a number of the biggest stars and most certainly the biggest names in management. For the likes of Mourinho, Conte, Pochettino, Klopp, Wenger and Guardiola, this weekend’s action offers the potential first step towards the ultimate glory. But to whom the trophy will go is anyone’s guess.

Giving it our best shot, we, the staff and partners of Icons.com, are back again to answer (or at least attempt to answer) the burning questions on everyone’s minds ahead of the big kick-off. But don’t just take our word, get involved on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages by giving us your predictions for the season ahead. You can hardly do much worse.

And, of course, be sure to check out our fantastic range of signed items from Premier League stars past and present – available right now on Icons.com.

It’s make or break time for Pep Guardiola in Manchester

Edward Freedman, Chairman

Premier League winners: Manchester CityTop four: Chelsea (2nd), Liverpool (3rd), Arsenal (4th)Relegated: Huddersfield Town, Watford, Brighton & Hove AlbionOverachievers: Everton – The Toffees have spent big but have invested well this summer. Wayne Rooney‘s return brings valuable experience to a dressing room packed with new and exciting faces.Underachievers: Arsenal – Last year I predicted that because the Gunners had spent nothing they would falter. This year, despite the purchase of Alexandre Lacazette, the same problems will persist. Wenger should have left years ago.Golden Boot: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)Signing of the season: Ederson (Manchester City) – The Brazilian youngster is an improvement on former keepers at the Etihad.

Random predictions:Dele Alli‘s rise to superstardom continues, earning him a big money move at the end of the season for, let’s say, £200million. From March onwards, a number of players will feign and/or elongate injuries in order to be fresh for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. One of Nathan Redmond or Tom Davies sneaks onto England‘s plane for Russia.

Random prediction: A goalkeeper will get on the scoresheet at some stage this season. Liverpool sacrifice the topflight for a deep run in the UEFA Champions League as they reach the semi-finals. Cambridge United win automatic promotion from League Two.

Matt Sheppard, Editorial Intern

Premier League winners: ChelseaTop four: Manchester City (2nd), Arsenal (3rd), Tottenham Hotspur (4th)Relegated: Brighton & Hove Albion, Swansea City, Huddersfield TownOverachievers: Newcastle United– Rafa will finally get to show exactly why he decided to stick by the Toon Army following their relegation the season before last.Underachievers:West Ham United – There’s lots of hype around the Hammers’ big-name signings but most of them will prove well past their sell-by date.Golden Boot: Harry Kane(Tottenham Hotspur)Signing of the season: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) – The Portuguese international will form a partnership with Kevin de Bruyne that turns into quite something.

Premier League winners: ArsenalTop four: Chelsea(2nd),Manchester City (3rd),Liverpool(4th)Relegated: Burnley, Swansea City, Huddersfield TownOverachievers: Arsenal– Without the distraction of trying (and repeatedly hopelessly failing) to win the UEFA Champions League, the Gunners focus on domestic matters. Momentum stays with the team early in 2018 when they would usually falter.Underachievers:Manchester United – Mourinho has made a number of big money signings but The Special One will be unable to get the team to gel. Without a trophy, Jose gets grumpier by the day.Golden Boot: Alvaro Morata(Chelsea)Signing of the season: Sead Kolasinac (Arsenal) – In a time when we have £200million players, Wenger still finds a bargain in this free transfer.

Random prediction: My prediction that Dortmund’s Christian Pulisic would move to the Premier League didn’t come true in 2016-17 but he will crush it in Germany this season, becoming one of the darlings of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. That move to England will be a superstar signing come the summer of 2018.

So, that’s what we think will go down during this season’s Premier League campaign. But what do you think? Send us your predictions by getting in touch via our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages!

Here at Icons.com, we are very lucky to get to work with the world’s best footballers. It’s something we’re immensely proud of and at our most recent signing session we added two new names to our unbeatable roster. So, here’s what happened when we met the legendary Brazilian duo of Roberto Carlos and Rivaldo.

The summer is a busy time of year in the world of football. Though there’s little to no action on the pitch, clubs across the country and around the world are hard at work signing players for the season ahead. But, on Friday July 14th, in a plush hotel in central London, Icons.com captured the signatures of the two summer recruits to beat them all. We signed Brazilian legends Roberto Carlos and Rivaldo.

Known the world over for their style and flair on the pitch, this iconic pair were two of the world’s very best players during the 90s and 00s. Meeting the duo for the first time was an eye-opening experience as we shared time between their duties at the Star Sixes tournament – a meeting of some of the greatest names in world football.

It was an early start for us all but by 9am we were buzzing to meet two absolute legends. First up: Roberto Carlos.

The signing happened very quickly, as we got word the former Real Madrid full-back was ready for action. Instructed to nip up to the 11th floor and join him in his room, our team – well-versed in the art of a speedy signing session – got things underway. As self-confessed kit nerds, seeing all sorts of historic shirts, boots, balls and photos was a sight to behold. But seeing them personally signed by a FIFA World Cup and three-time UEFA Champions League winner made it all the more exciting.

During this time, we reflected on what a great player Roberto Carlos was; a truly unique defender who lit up the game. How much would the powerful defender cost in 2017, we wonder? A stalwart of Real Madrid, Carlos still holds Los Blancos‘ record for appearances made by a foreign player. No mean feat when you consider the Galaticos that have passed through that great club.

After a few quick pictures with Roberto we were out the door ready and raring for the arrival of Rivaldo.

As we got the lift down to the lobby, former Liverpool, West Ham and Portsmouth goalkeeper David James stepped in to greet us. The legendary England shot stopper had a quick chat with our team and we wished him luck for the tournament. Luck that didn’t quite catch, mind, as an England team even featuring Steven Gerrard couldn’t win the tournament on home soil. We make it 51 years of hurt now…

Of course, our team are no strangers to footballing superstars but a day up close and personal with this many legends of the game was still one to relish. Topping it off: FC Barcelona and AC Milan hero Rivaldo.

A true gentleman, the 1999 Ballon d’Or winner breezed through our signing session with every bit of the class he brought to the football pitch. Still as lean and fit as ever, the legendary attacker gave great care and attention to the products he was signing – fastidiously dotting his i’s and paying particular regard to ensuring he signed with the correct squad number. We signature buffs loved that!

Adding his beautiful autograph to a superb collection of items, it was time for Rivaldo to be whisked away to face China at the nearby O2 Arena. Three-nil or four-nil for Brazil, we asked. It wouldn’t be that easy, he replied quite diplomatically.

Icons was awarded the world’s first ever signed football memorabilia licence by FIFA in 2010 to produce a range of signed iconic World Cup products. In July 2012, we were awarded the first ever official licence for the UEFA Champions League and last year announced a licensing deal with the England FA. We have exclusive contracts with the world’s most famous international and UK players such as Lionel Messi and Dele Alli and enjoy long term relationships with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Maradona and Neymar Jr.

Dan Jamieson, CEO of Icons, said: “Icons’ promise is that our products are “signed by the world’s best” and Eden is certainly one of the world’s best footballers. It’s a match made in heaven.

“We are delighted that Eden is now an Icon and we can bring a 100% authentic signed memorabilia range to his fans around the world. Authenticity is everything to us, as it is everything to our customers.”

Having swept four trophies in five seasons since joining Chelsea from French side Lille in the summer of 2012, Eden Hazard has developed into one of the Premier League‘s most exciting and most technically-gifted players. Collecting numerous individual awards along the way, Hazard‘s explosive style has attracted a multitude of praise from fellow professionals, managers, coaches, fans and pundits alike.

His talent was no more evident than in 2014-15 when, as leading light for Belgium, he reached the quarter-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup before returning to England to win the Premier League and the Capital One Cup as well as the PFA and FWA’s Player of the Year awards.

A further title-winning turn in 2016-17 has cemented his place as one of the world’s most sought-after talents, a player of remarkable natural talent whose stock is only rising by the day.

Here at Icons.com we like to keep a watchful eye over our superstar friends to see what they’re getting up to during the summer break. Let’s just say it’s been a huge fortnight for our two most popular Icons. In case you missed it…

Lionel Messi is now a married man, having tied the knot with his childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo. A hearty congratulations are in order from everyone at Icons HQ to a man with whom we’ve worked for over a decade. Despite our invite getting lost in the post, the wedding was a star-studded event with footballing A-list guests Gerard Pique, Sergio Aguero and Cesc Fabregas among the attendees. Now there’s a list of players that would make quite the five-a-side team – though it may mean Messi’s bride going between the sticks.

Not to be outdone by his Argentine rival, Cristiano Ronaldo had some big news of his own last week as he announced, via Instagram, the arrival of twins; a boy and girl. Should the pair grow up to be anything like their dad, Manchester United will surely be keen to snap them up on long-term contracts.

And if the thrill of newborns wasn’t quite enough excitement for Cristiano, the 32-year-old European champion had yet another reason to be smiling as his snap of the tiny tots racked up some 7.9 million likes (and counting), making it the second most popular Instagram photo of all time. We’re sure our favourite Portuguese superstar will be a great father to them both (good luck on him going easy on you in the back garden, kids).

Next we turn to a familiar face to take us away from weddings and babies and bring us back to the football pitch, as recent Icons signee Ronaldinho enjoyed a lovely return to Camp Nou in the blue and red of FC Barcelona. Playing in a legends game against Manchester United, our new friend was just as amazing and flamboyant as you would expect. The samba star executed an outrageous nutmeg on Jesper Blomqvist and, you have to trust us on this, it’s a must watch.

A post shared by Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (@ronaldinho) on Jun 30, 2017 at 12:46pm PDT

But wait just a minute. If I were you, I’d keep my eyes fixed on Icons.com over the coming weeks as another legend who played in that very same game could be arriving soon. Here’s a hint: much like R10 himself, this Brazilian is much loved in Catalunya…

Lastly this week, we congratulate former England captain John Terry but not on his move to Aston Villa. We salute Mr Captain Leader Legend for his confident rendition of Ben E King’s classic Stand By Me which he belted out during his Villans initiation. Does he get top marks for his singing? No. Is it cheating that he got a guitarist to accompany him? Probably. Do we care? Absolutely not.

Because it wasn’t just his outrageous skill and unstoppable flair that made him great. Oh no. It was the way he played the game as if still on the rough streets of Porto Alegre, dribbling the ball past his dog Bombom or scoring 23 goals for his local youth team. He made seasoned defenders in the prime of their distinguished careers look like schoolchildren. He baffled goalkeepers.

So, to celebrate the launch of our brand new and exclusive range of Ronaldinho signed items, we’ve compiled a short list of why it is we love him. Of course, there are innumerable reasons why football fans adore the man who for a period in the mid-noughties was the hero of every street footballer, but we’ll leave it to you to tell us what we’ve missed from our list…

He’s good at football in all its forms

Table football is a real thing and of course Ronaldinho is good at it.

He set up Leo Messi for the Argentine’s first ever goal

It shouldn’t have been legal for Barcelona to have these two on the same team.

He’s scored some pretty outrageous goals himself

The goal of a lifetime for most; just another standard, gravity-defying overhead kick for this man.

Some of them will stay with us forever

Even today’s stars struggle to re-create the Ronnie magic…

His control of the ball was absolute

This deserved more than simple applause, Frank. Come on.

No, seriously, footballs obeyed his every command

This is what Ronnie called ‘a warm up’.

He was pretty good from dead ball situations

Simply unstoppable.

But he still found joy in scoring the simplest of tap-ins

That poor, poor keeper.

He’s still got and will probably never lose it…

Hands up if you think a 37-year-old Ronnie could still do it for your team…

Think you know the greatest footballers of all time? Then we’ve got the job for you! That’s right – the home of the world’s best signed football memorabilia is looking for the world’s best editorial intern!

This role will report directly to Icons CEO Dan Jamieson so send us your CV and covering letter (with the correct usage of capital letters), explaining why you would be a good fit for this internship.

Check below for the full details of what we’re looking for and if you think you fit the bill why not apply now via Gorkana Jobs?

DETAILS

You will be based at our offices in Kentish Town, London

You will be paid London Living Wage

Interviews will take place in early June with a view to starting later in the month

In addition, Icons Shop Limited doubled turnover, experienced record sales for the busy Christmas and New Year period, expanded its staff and further strengthened its relationships with the world’s best footballers.

The Sports Business Awards celebrates “the vital influence of business within sport” and “recognises the organisations, teams and individuals who excel in a variety of business, CSR and sports governance disciplines.” The ceremony, which takes on June 2nd at The Brewery in London, will be attended by over 400 professionals from a variety of industries within the world of sport.

Also nominated in our category are All Sport Insurance, Beyond 90, Designwerk, FKPro, HRP Equestrian, ILG Business Ltd and Traveleads.

Click here to find out more about the Sports Business Awards. For the full list of finalists, click here.